Beef Stew

When you go to the grocery store and buy a can of stew (any brand) you will find it so over-cooked that you don’t need to chew anything. It will just slip on down. There are also many cooks that pride themselves on cooking stew the “Old Country” way and simmer it all day. They wind up with the same mono flavored mush as the canned stew. Any food value in the stew was cooked out hours ago.

If you are interested in making  a stew with a symphony of bright flavors you must change your ways.

Try this recipe.

Beef Stew

1  8 oz C tomato sauce                                           1/4 C apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce                                 1/2 C beef Broth

1 T paprika (Your choice of flavors)

1 1/2 t dried herbs, any combination of thyme, oregano and rosemary

3 pounds English-cut short ribs or pot roast       1 T plus 1 t kosher salt, divided

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced                        1 pound red or yellow potatoes, unpeeled and diced small

Freshly ground black pepper                                 1 T chopped fresh parsley leaves

Optional: Carrots, celery, etc

The trick with the beef is to get a flavorful cut, preferably bone in.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Beef Broth, paprika and dried herbs. Set aside. 

Season the beef with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt. Place a large griddle over medium-high heat and once a drop of water bounces off, sear the meat until browned on all sides. Once browned, remove the meat to the bowl with the paste and toss to coat. Transfer to a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and seal tightly. Place the package into a metal pan and put into a cold oven on the middle rack. Set the oven to 250° F and cook for 4 - 5 hours.

Remove the meat from the oven and carefully poke a hole in the pack while holding it over a heatproof container. Drain the liquid into the container and place it into the refrigerator to cool enough so that the fat separates from the rest of the liquid, approximately 1 hour. After 1 hour, transfer the liquid to the freezer and keep there until the fat cap has solidified, approximately 1 hour. Allow the ribs to sit at room temperature while the liquid is cooling or if serving the next day, place in the refrigerator until ready to finish. I like to cook the meat and refrigerate overnight. If you do that just put the liquid into the fridge and wait until the next day.

Retrieve the liquid from the refrigerator and remove the fat cap that has formed on top. Measure out 1 tablespoon of the fat and reserve the rest for another time. Place the fat into a large saucier and place over medium heat. Once the fat has melted add the onion along with the remaining teaspoon of salt and stir to separate the onions into rings. Allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes along with a pinch of black pepper and stir to combine. Next, add the liquid reserved from the meat and stir. Cover tightly and decrease the heat to low so that no heat is escaping the lid. Cook for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Meanwhile, cut the meat away from the bone, removing the connective tissue and discard it.. Once the potatoes are tender, uncover and set the meat atop the vegetables. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the parsley.